Despite a slow start to the season, Chicago Bears wide receiver Luther Burden was electric in the second half of the season after the Rome Odunze injury.
Burden ended up having a good season with 652 yards and two touchdowns to close out his rookie season. Bleacher Report writer Moe Moton expects the former 2025 second-round pick to have an even better year in 2026, as Burden was named as one of the eight second-year players who should take bigger roles on the team.
"The Chicago Bears traded wideout DJ Moore to the Buffalo Bills. Though the eight-year veteran saw a significant drop-off in his target share between 2024 and 2025, he started in every game and saw 85 targets last year. Without Moore in the lineup, Luther Burden III could blossom into a lead receiver alongside Rome Odunze. In the second half of the previous season, Burden saw an uptick in his snap count while Odunze battled a foot injury. He had his most productive performance in the Bears' Week 17 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, catching eight passes for 138 yards and a touchdown. Based on what head coach Ben Johnson did as the Detroit Lions offensive coordinator, Burden is in a system that will allow him to grow in his second year as a starter. Wideouts Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards in Johnson's last year with the Lions. Burden and Odunze are an ascending receiver duo, with the former set to come into his own this year."
Luther Burden must take a bigger role in 2026 for the Bears
Not only is Moore gone via trade, but Olamide Zaccheaus is also no longer on the team, as he signed with the Atlanta Falcons. That means that two of the top four receivers on the depth chart are no longer on the team, leaving Burden and Odunze as the top receivers.
More responsibility will be put on Burden to be the deep threat receiver they hope he will be. The Bears are hoping his speed will be more on display than it was last season, as both of his touchdown catches in 2025 were from 50 yards or more.
There's a chance Chicago could still draft a receiver in the 2026 NFL Draft, but for now, they have Kalif Raymond and Jahdae Walker as the next guys in line as WR3 and WR4. That kind of backup may not make as many Bears fans comfortable, putting even more pressure on Burden to step up and perform well.
Read more: Bears analyst urges team to target 3 draft prospects if they trade down
Chicago's offense could be make or break in 2026, depending on whether Burden can take a leap from Year 1 to Year 2.
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